Ben-gurion Confers with U.S. Envoy on Syrian Attacks on Israelis

December 10, 1962

JERUSALEM (Dec. 9)

Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion was understood today to have informed United States Ambassador Walworth Barbour that Israel was gravely concerned over continuing attacks by Syria on workers in the demilitarized zone near Lake Tiberias.

The Prime Minister also met with General Karl von Horn, chief of the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization to discuss the most recent attack by Syrian gunners last Tuesday when one Israeli settler was injured. A spokesman for UNTSO said that General von Horn sent a report of the meeting with the Prime Minister to the UN Secretariat in New York.

The spokesman also said that General von Horn was not considering at the present time a visit to Syria on the matter and it was assumed he would await instructions on the matter from UN headquarters.

The Prime Minister, in his talk with Barbour, was understood to have cited Syrian attacks going back to last October and to have stressed that Israel could not tolerate a situation in which its citizens were being killed and property destroyed by “murderers wearing uniforms.”

Mr. Ben-Gurion reportedly pointed out that the United States, while urging Israel to preserve peace and cooperate with UN officials, must also use its influence to ensure compliance by the Syrians with the same proposals. The envoy said he would convey the Prime Minister’s views to Washington.